Fluid filled insoles

ABSTRACT

An insole for a shoe which is hollow and filled with a fluid. Means in the insole prevent surges of fluid between toe and heel as the wearer walks.

United States Patent Richmond et a1.

FLUID FILLED INSOLES Inventors: Rex E. Richmond; George Spector,

both 3615 Woolworth Bldg., 233 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10007 Filed:Apr. 17, 1973 Appl. No.: 351,867

US. Cl. 36/43, 36/29 Int. Cl A43b 13/38 Field of Search 36/43, 71, 2.5AA, 28,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1919 Spinney 36/29 Mar. 18,1975 Cooney 36/29 Drefvelin 36/3 R Evangelista 36/3 R Estandian 36/3 RMagidson 36/44 Smith 36/29 Primary E.\'aminer-Richard J. Scanlan, Jr.

ABSTRACT An insole for a shoe which is hollow and filled with a fluid.Means in the insole prevent surges of fluid between toe and heel as thewearer walks.

5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures minno 1 81915 1 7 FLUID FILLED INSOLESSUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My invention is directed toward shoes havinginsoles specially designed to provide full uniform resilient support forthe feet of the user whether the user is moving or standing still. Tothis end the insole is hollow and filled with a suitable fluid. Meansare provided in the sole to prevent surges of fluid between toe and heelas the user walks or runs and exerts pressure on different parts of thefoot. Additional means can be provided to produce a pumping action tocirculate the fluid through special cooling ducts and vents in the shoewhereby the fluid is cooled and produces a cooling action-on the shoeitself thus providing enhanced comfort.

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of the Invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross section on line 2-2 of FIG. 1

FIG. 3 is a cross section on line 3-3 of FIG. 1

FIG. 4 is a cross section on line 44 of FIG. 1

FIG. 5 is a view of a shoe showing a modified design of the inventionincorporated therewith in which the lift and fall of the foot over theinner sole causes a pumping action of the fluid so it travels past ventholes in the shoe so to cool the liquid.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the inner sole and its cooling ducts integraltherewith, shown removed from the shoe and laid out flat.

FIG. 7 is a detail on cross section 77 of FIG. 6, showing the one wayflap valves for the fluid.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged framentary view of a cooling tube used in theconstruction illustrated in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS.1-4, a hollow insole has a flat horizontal top surface 10 and a bottomsurface 12 with inwardly extending ribs 14 which extend longitudinallyand transversely as well as diagonally and which reachsurface 10. Theperipheral edges 16 of both surfaces extend downward from surface 10 andupward from surface 12 into horizontal mating sealing engagement. Theribs and edges thus define boundaries of a plurality of hollow chambersdisposed side by side and filled with a fluid 18 such as water or gases.Surface 10 is sur mounted by a flat yielding horizontal top layer 20.

When a user steps on the sole or merely stands thereon all portions ofthe foot have uniform full resilient support. The ribs prevent surges offluid between toe and heel as the user walks and exerts pressure ondifferent parts of the foot.

In FIGS. 5-7, shoe 50 has an insole 30 with elevated ducts 34 connectedthereto that as the user walks, the fluid is circulated around the sidesof the shoe. One way valves 36 integral with top and bottom flatsurfaces 30A and 30B of the sole insure circulation paths for the fluidwhich travels as shown. The ducts provide a cooling action cooperatingwith air cooling vents 32 formed in the shoe upper as the rise and fallof the'foot over the inner sole causes a pumping action for the fluid.

As shown in FIG. 5 a heel 37 is cooled by a spiral fluted or finned coil38 formed in a small radiator 39 located on the outer side of the shoeor boot. Nipples 40 and 41 at opposite ends of the radiator communicatewith duct 34, thereby providing for flow of fluid from duct 34 throughthe radiator-coils and back to the duct 34.

in FIG. 8 there is illustrated adetail of the cooling coil 38 whichincludes a wall that is spiral-fluted as shown at 35 and which includesfins 36, in order for a quick heat exchange action so to dissipate heatand cool the coolant liquid moving through the coil. The fins 36 extendthrough the inside of the tube and to the outside thereof as well, asshown.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 it is to be noted that a self sealing fillervalve 42 is installed at the toe end of the insole, and a self sealingair purge valve 43 is installed at the heel end of the insole. Thefiller valve 42 is provided for the purpose of fluid being injectedtherethrough into the sole. The air purge valve 43 is provided for thepurpose of allowing entrapped air to escape from the interior of theinsole.

The filler valve is similar to those used on footballs, basket balls,volley and beach balls, and serves to provide a proper resiliance inorder to support the weight of the feet thereupon. Each size of insolemight require a different amount of fluid therewithin accordingly forideal support.

The air purge valve is essential so that all trapped air is removedotherwise a bulbous effect would result and the fluid would not beevenly distributed throughout the insole cavity so that a perfectcushioning would be prevented.

One way valve 36 (FIG. 7) is a conventional flap valve which is securedto the surfaces 10, 30A and 30B (or'surfaces 10 and 12 of FIG. 2). Withthe open end serving as an inlet and flexible closure flaps at theoutlet end. Pressure from the weavers foot expandsthe outlet flapscausing them to open and permit the flow of fluid in the desireddirection. One or more of valves 36 may be located in seriestransversely across the width of insole 30 as indicated diagramaticallyby the V-shaped lines of FIG. 6. It is to be understood that similarvalves can be provided between the ends of the diagonal ribs 14, wherebyflow can occur only from sole to heel, provided that a return flow ductsuch as 34 of FIG. 6 is provided in the shoe upper.

It is to be understood that the ribs 14 do not restrict flow completelybut merely restrain or impede flow whereby surging of large quantitiesof fluid from one compartment to another is prevented.

While certain novel features of our invention have been shown anddescribed and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will beunderstood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in theforms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can bemade by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

We claims as follows:

1. A hollow-fluid filled insole with toe and heel portions formed fromresilient material having spaced upper and lower surfaces peripherallysealed in combination with a duct extending externally from the insoleconnecting the toe and heel portions including a valve extendingtransversely across the interior of the insole connecting betweenopposing portions of the peripheral seal, said valve permitting flowonly in one direction responsive to pressure in said insole generated bythe users foot. y

2. An insole as in claim 1 including ribs extending from one of thesurfaces towards the other forming substantially defined pockets throughwhich fluid flow is restricted preventing large surges therethrough.

3 ,8 7 1 1 l 7 3 4 3. An insole as in claim 2 in further combinationwith 5. An insole as in claim 1 in further combination with a shoe upperhaving an external radiator with an inlet a Shoe u er h avin .anexternal radiator with an inlet and outlet connected to the duct. pp g4. An insole as in claim 3, wherein the radiator has fluted coils. 5

and outlet connected to the duct.

1. A hollow fluid filled insole with toe and heel portions formed from resilient material having spaced upper and lower surfaces peripherally sealed in combination with a duct extending externally from the insole connecting the toe and heel portions including a valve extending transversely across the interior of the insole connecting between opposing portions of the peripheral seal, said valve permitting flow only in one direction responsive to pressure in said insole generated by the user''s foot.
 2. An insole as in claim 1 including ribs extending from one of the surfaces towards the other forming substantially defined pockets through which fluid flow is restricted preventing large surges therethrough.
 3. An insole as in claim 2 in further combination with a shoe upper having an external radiator with an inlet and outlet connected to the duct.
 4. An insole as in claim 3, wherein the radiator has fluted coils.
 5. An insole as in claim 1 in further combination with a shoe upper having an external radiator with an inlet and outlet connected to the duct. 